State Presses Casella On PFAS, Dioxane Contamination At Bethlehem Landfill

A Pattern Of Behavior: Southbridge, MA & Bethlehem, NH...

Landfills and the Tie that Binds: Southbridge and Bethlehem

Is Dalton, NH next? Let's hope not!

"I have seen the name of Southbridge, MA in connection with Casella Waste Management - but I never fully appreciated how much The Town of Bethlehem has in common with The Town of Southbridge. A few seconds of research on the Internet revealed several news articles. The one that quickly caught my attention was in the June 2017 Telegram & Gazette (telegram.com). The article details a lawsuit filed against Casella by two environmental groups and says: “The suit alleges the Southbridge landfill has been releasing toxic pollutants to groundwater for years...”

In the overview, the state director of one of the environmental groups, said Casella consistently employs "sneaky and aggressive strategies" to bully towns and expand their profits. She continued, "Casella's business strategy pattern is to enter communities with an existing trash facility and expand, expand, expand, while trying to disregard local officials and concerned residents."

If this was not hard enough to read and so familiar, the comments by a resident affected by the pollution were just as meaningful: "When you think about how long this has been going on and the fact that Casella is still seeking to expand...It boggles my min...To me, it's proof that they are willing to put profit before people."

Herein is the strongest connection between Southbridge and Bethlehem. That the Casella corporation is described in this article in ways we in Bethlehem have already experienced should be a rude awakening for anyone “on the fence” about this company and make everyone aware of their relentlessly aggressive attempts to convince us to permit them to EXPAND the NCES landfill from 61 to 161 acres, another 100 acres for a mega-dump!

The Casella corporation has some in town believing that a landfill expansion will save us from financial ruin. The fact is our property taxes have already risen – despite Casella dumping TONS of trash from multiple STATES here for YEARS!

That same article about Southbridge describes how contaminants – one a “probable human carcinogen 1,4-dioxane” – have been discovered in “drinking water aquifers and residential drinking wells.” Casella denies responsibility, of course, but another article (February 2017) reported that the Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection “named Casella as the potential responsible party and directed the company to supply bottled water or whole-house filtration systems to the affected homes.”

Bethlehem has spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees FIGHTING Casella over the past 20 years and we continue to add legal fees to the budget because of Casella, most recently because they may file for an abatement to decrease their taxes. These legal fees increase our property taxes.

The NCES landfill is on Trudeau Road in Bethlehem, but during the day the mound of trash can easily be seen from Route 302 in both directions, and at night you can see the flame from the torch burning off the gases being released from the trash. This eye sore is a heartbreaking blemish on the beautiful backdrop of our White Mountains!

The Southbridge landfill and its history goes back to before Casella became involved, but once they were – their business model only added to the woes that face this town today – and what could very well be the future of the NCES/Casella landfill here.

We must say no to any future landfill expansions."

Nancy Dickowski, Bethlehem

(THANKS to Build A Better Bethlehem for allowing us to use Nancy's commentary! )

To read even more warnings from Bethlehem and Southbridge residents, click here.

Protect Free Speech and Forest Lake From Casella

Protect Free Speech and Forest Lake From Casella

Please join me in defense of Free Speech and Forest Lake as Casella Waste Systems seeks to silence my voice and this website in the exercise of our right to Free Speech and opposition to this terrible landfill development! Please, I hope you will add your voice to mine!

NH HB1319 Passed In The NH House 189-123! On To The Senate!

Video From The House Floor

Video of the March 12, 2020 vote (189-123) to pass HB1319. (First 18 minutes). HB1319 now goes on to the Senate. It would create a 2-mile setback for siting a new landfill next to a NH State Park. Currently, the is NO setback requirement! Our other bill, HB1422 to create a moratorium on new landfills was sent to interim study, which basically means it is going nowhere, but the original intent of the bill, from our perspective, was removed along the way.

On To The NH Senate!

We will need their support for our bill to make it to Governor Sununu's desk! Please give them a call, write a letter, or send an email and tell them why you want them to support HB1319! Thank you!

About Forest Lake State Park

Forest Lake State Park is a 397-acre state park in Dalton, New Hampshire. The park is free to use and offers a 200-foot sandy beach on the shore of pristine, 196-acre Forest Lake. In fact, it is the ONLY free public beach north of the Notch! Activities in the park include swimming, picnicking, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, and boating. The park picnic area is home to many weddings and offers a breath-taking, panoramic view of the Presidential Range.

Talking Points #1

Currently, there is NO minimum setback requirement relative to the siting of a landfill next to a NH State Park. Possibly because no one ever envisioned such a silly idea in the first place. Some have argued that the 2-mile setback is an arbitrary number, but we can certainly share plenty of data relative to the financial, environmental and public health impacts suffered by those unlucky to be in close proximity to a landfill.

Talking Points #2

We feel very strongly that, in light of what we know about the negative health impacts of the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS, it is crucial that we act pro-actively to prevent the eventual contamination of pristine Forest Lake in the Forest Lake State Park in Dalton, NH. We have learned much about the relationship between landfills, landfill leachate, and the extremely high levels of PFAS present within that toxic mixture of waste. In fact, it should be noted that test wells at the NCES landfill in nearby Bethlehem had elevated levels of PFAS contamination, according to a NH DES site inspection this past Fall, 2019. HB1319, allows the state to act in a preventative manner to keep that family of forever chemicals out of Forest Lake in order to ensure that future generations of Granite Staters and tourists can enjoy swimming at the only public beach in the North Country without risk . Such contamination would also have a far-reaching impact on both the Ammonoosuc and Connecticut Rivers, due to the natural flow of water from neighboring Alder Brook and Burns Pond.

Talking Points #3

HB1319 is crucial to protecting our state parks and surrounding natural resources from the threat of the negative impacts associated with close proximity to an abutting landfill: odor, water, air, and noise pollution, scavengers, heavy truck traffic, all of which would wreak havoc on the surrounding ecosystem, not to mention that eventual 150 foot man-made mountain of garbage that would rise along Dalton Ridge, infringing upon the the scenic views of the Presidential Range from the park.

Talking Points #4

We cannot discount the impact a landfill abutting a NH State Park would have on the state tourism industry, which is a major economic driver for the state of NH. In fact, in fiscal year 2018, state park revenue was a whopping $23 million. The Dept of Natural and Cultural Resources Div. of Parks and Recreation's 2018 financial report noted that “the success of the parks is heavily dependent on weather conditions. Analysis has indicated that rain will reduce revenue from 25 percent to 45 percent at beaches and campgrounds. A 20 percent increase in rainy days could impact day use income by $1.8 million. So, can you imagine what ODOR from an adjacent landfill would do? (Not to mention all of the other negative impacts). Doesn't it make sense to protect all of our state parks from the encroachment of an abutting nuisance like a landfill that could have a detrimental impact on our tourism industry, such a vital source of revenue on many levels, filling local and state coffers.

Talking Points #5

NH DES has worked with Representative Bixby on the wording of HB1319, to ensure that EXISTING landfills in NH will NOT BE IMPACTED by this bill. Despite what some in the industry would have you believe, Mt. Carberry's future expansion plans will NOT be impacted, nor would any other existing landfill as they are excluded in the language.

Final Talking Points

The State of NH does NOT have a landfill capacity crisis, as some in the waste industry will argue. This is a myth advanced by the waste industry lobbyists to maintain the status quo. The 2019 Legislative Report on Waste and Recycling confirms that we have capacity, especially for NH waste. In fact, if you'll note on page 9, footnote 4 of that report, AVRRDD’s Phase III permit application for its Mt. Carberry landfill estimates capacity amounting to another 32 years! We simply do not need another landfill, especially one next to one of our beloved state parks that will guarantee that the flow of out state waste into NH will continue for generations to come! Furthermore, we need to enact the goals of the 2003 Solid Waste Plan in order to reduce what we waste and ultimately what we put in landfills. If we can reduce the volume of waste that we generate by half, we would double the existing capacity and further reduce the need for yet another landfill. However, as a state, we also need to ensure that this does not simply lead to the subsidization of the importation of even more out of state trash by the private, for-profit waste companies.

Casella Dealt Major Blow To NCES Landfill Expansion!

Stage VI Expansion Tentatively DENIED, NCES Permit Withdrawn

BREAKING NEWS! Due to its failure to show public benefit given that NH currently has enough landfill capacity to handle its own waste:, North Country Environmental Services, Inc. (NCES), has withdrawn its application to expand the NCES landfill located in Bethlehem, NH into an area referred to as Stage VI. As such, NHDES will render no decision on the application (even though they did notify Casella of the pending denial). NCES’ withdrawal letter and NHDES’ letter acknowledging the withdrawal are available in our "files" section and here: NH DES "Denial" of permit application

Please Save Forest Lake For Our Children!

We DO NOT WANT A LANDFILL At Forest Lake!!

Please Help Us To Stop The Landfill!

WHY WE FIGHT:

Contamination IMPACTS GENERATIONS! We Want To PREVENT THIS!

In The News: Years after discovery, PFOA looms over Bennington residents

BENNINGTON, VT — Sandy Sumner and his wife live in North Bennington in a mint green house he built in 1990, on a hill almost directly above the smokestack of the former ChemFab plant. They have lush perennial flower beds in their backyard overlooking Mount Anthony and used to have a large vegetable patch in front of their house.

But the Sumners have let their vegetable garden return to grass. They are afraid to eat anything grown on their property.

“When you look at my flower gardens, and my beautiful vegetable garden, you had to remind yourself that the soil and groundwater is for the foreseeable future contaminated with chemicals that are very harmful,” Sumner said. “We don’t eat our cherries anymore, we don’t eat our apples anymore.”

New Hampshire Safe Water Alliance Call To Action! News Report including SFL from WMUR: Click Here

From a website detailing Casella's LONG HISTORY as a bad neighbor and bad business partner:Click Here

It Stinks! Map of Odor Complaints from Casella-run Ontario County Landfill in NY: Click Here

Update: The September 14th Peaceful Protest At Casella's Coventry Landfill Was A HUGE Success! More protesters than ever! Many Groups Involved!: In The News (This story also made it into WasteDive, a national news organization!) Our Sept 28th protest in Bethlehem was also a well-attended success! Page 6 of Union Leader: Click Here

Attention Bethlehem: Residents with odor/noise complaints relative to the NCES landfill are encouraged to send an email to the new watchdog hotline ReportOdor@yahoo.com with details and the location of the complaint for logging and mapping purposes!

4 recommended movies: Dark Waters, Bag It!, Fed Up, and The Devil We Know. These movies will open your eyes!

We Won! Dalton Has Zoning! However, The Fight Is Far From Over!

Thanks all, it was a team effort to get zoning passed! The fight is FAR from over, but the first battle is won. Now on to a broader, Northern Pass-style campaign to stop this atrocity-to-be from happening! WMUR News Report on Dalton Zoning Vote:

Casella Pamphlet And 2nd Mailing For Dalton Voters Highlight Pattern Of Deceptive Lobbying and Misinformation Campaign-How Can We Take Them At Their Word? We Can't!

50% Of Trash In NH Landfills Is From Out Of State!

Above: Casella's 180 Acre Landfill is the size of Forest Lake, tip of the lake shown in blue, bottom right

The Town of Dalton Special Town Meeting to vote on Emergency Temporary Zoning was held on July 30, 7pm!!

Despite Casella's heavy-handed lobbying, we WON! We can stop this!

We've found 5 violations of the Town of Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance relative to the proposed Casella landfill as those plans would constitute a "Change of Use" by the owner of Douglas Drive, located in Lot 1, Map 406 which is in the Town of Bethlehem (District III) and subject to the Town of Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance. Please contact the town select board and ask them to enforce their zoning laws.

Bethlehem can stop this nightmare from becoming a reality.

Near the end of May, 2019, Casella met with DES Wetlands Bureau for a Pre-Application meeting and has submitted site details, of which we have obtained copies which are uploaded to our "Files" section. We met with the Governor's Director of Public Policy, and the Directors of NH Parks and DES Waste Management, on Thursday, June 20 in Concord. It was a positive meeting, 2 hours long, and all are on notice as to our vehement opposition to this landfill project!

In December, 2018, Casella Waste Systems subsidiary, North Country Environmental Services, entered into an option to purchase agreement with J.W. Chipping Corp. covering nearly 1900 acres of land off Douglas Drive in Dalton, Bethlehem, and Littleton adjacent to Forest Lake and Forest Lake State Park! (See file section for docs/site survey)

On April 3, 2019: NCES, J.W. Chipping Corp. President Douglas G. Ingerson, Jr., and Horizons Engineering of Littleton attempted to get Dalton Planning Board approval of a lot line adjustment that would have created a 300 acre lot with no abutters other than J.W. Chipping Corp.

This would have given them the ability to apply for state permits with no notification to the people who would be most affected.

The application was unanimously denied by the Town of Dalton Planning Board since state law requires this type of change to be a Subdivision.

In the meantime, $1.2 million has been paid to the landowner as part of the land deal, see our file section.

A landfill in this location would negatively impact neighbors in Dalton, Bethlehem, Whitefield, and Littleton. The possibility of water pollution at this particular site impacts Forest Lake, which flows into Burns Pond, and the Johns River, which then feeds into the Connecticut River! On the other side of the site, run-off into AlderBrook off of Route 116 will feed right into the Ammonoosuc River! (At least Casella admits that THAT is a proven reality!) We have commenced with baseline water-testing of AlderBrook, Forest Lake, and private wells within the vicinity of this proposed landfill. There is no existing landfill to blame any pollution and contamination on here!

Do you like large garbage trucks? Up to 90 22-wheeled tractor trailers loaded with garbage will be roaring thru the towns of Carroll and Whitefield each day per Casella to access Douglas Drive! There will likely be a need for a traffic light in Whitefield as well as at Douglas Drive and Route 116 to handle the increased traffic! How's that for a regional impact?!

It’s up to all of us to safeguard our environment!

PLEASE WRITE TO DES, YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, AND TOWN SELECT AND PLANNING BOARDS AS THIS WILL IMPACT

Get Involved! Put A Sign In Your Yard! Like us on FB! Pass A Petition In Your Neighborhood!

A garbage landfill so close to Forest Lake and the Ammonoosuc River has the potential for:

Groundwater and surface water contamination and pollution in Forest Lake, Burns Pond, Johns and Connecticut Rivers, as well as AlderBrook and the Ammonoosuc River watershed from the landfill byproduct called leachate and air debris

Fecal contamination from landfill scavengers like seagulls on our land and in our water bodies (a threat to the Loons, too)

Increase in litter, noise, rodents, and flies, within 1-2 miles

Air pollution from greenhouse gases and unpleasant odors that will carry for miles

Destruction of natural habitats could have a drastic impact on fauna and wildlife

Did you know? Nearly 50% of the trash going into NCES Bethlehem and Waste Management's Turnkey landfills is imported from out of state, according to DES!! (To stop this, we'd have to eliminate private, for-profit landfills and implement municipal solid waste districts)

We now have signs like the one above...

would you put one in your yard to show your support?

Also, in our files section we have a petition you can circulate amongst your neighbors and friends to inform our elected officials that we do not want a landfill next to Forest Lake!

The North Country Council Regional Planning Commission and Economic Development District is one of nine regional planning commissions in New Hampshire established by RSA 36:46. The Commission’s region consists of serving 50 communities and 25 unincorporated places in the northern third of New Hampshire.

PLEASE reach out to them to express your opposition to this development.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW North Country Regional Impact Map! How will YOUR town be impacted? Link at the top of this page.

NCC's Regional Plan touts North Country resources and quality of life that this landfill would threaten:

More Casella Problems, this time at the Southbridge, MA landfill

Social

North Country Regional Impact Map, Aerials Of Site Proposal (note tip of lake)

additional information/Updates:

Casella picked Dalton for a reason....no local zoning. On July 30th, Dalton voters voted YES to enact local zoning to help save Dalton, Forest Lake, and the North Country from becoming "landfill country" for generations to come. Thank you Dalton!

On July 2, Casella hosted its own BBQ at the Dalton Town Hall on July 2 from 11-1 and 5-7. Why on earth was the Dalton Town website promoting this event? Something stinks in Dalton! No worries, though, we had over 30 people show up with Vote YES! signs, Casella maybe had 6 people show up.

The July 23rd Public Hearing in Dalton was a well-attended event with a packed gymnasium and many wonderful speakers who shared their town's stories of life with Casella. Casella even had the meeting taped without anyone's knowledge that THEY, not the town itself, was taping us. This would be what life in a Casella-run town would be like. We don't need that in Dalton.

On June 22, 2019 the Forest Lake Association voted unanimously to OPPOSE this landfill development!

Our meeting in Concord on June 20th with the Governor's Director of Public Policy, as well as the Directors of DES Waste Management, Wetlands Bureau, and NH Parks went very well. We shared our opinions on the development and learned more about the permitting process. Most of the folks in the meeting had never been to Forest Lake, btw. We also spent some time sharing info at the Concord Market Days NH Sierra Club table.

We have an old-school paper petition and are collecting signatures to let all of the decision makers know that you and your friends, family, and neighbors oppose this terrible development! Like the Northern Pass, WE can stop this, TOGETHER!

We are on the front page of the Coos Democrat newspaper, 5/29/19 edition!

We have added our new North Country Regional Impact Map pdf to the website! Check it out at the top of this page! It details the potential impact a 2nd North Country landfill could have on the region.

On Monday, May 20th at 6:30pm we will be presenting to the Town of Dalton Selectboard our petition, signed by registered voters in the Town of Dalton, calling for a special meeting (RSA 39:3) in which voters can empower the Town of Dalton with Emergency Temporary Zoning and Planning Ordinances (RSA 674: 24-29)

In particular, we like this statute: (RSA 674:24) I. No business, commercial or industrial venture or use shall be permitted which could cause any undue hazard to health, safety or property values or which is offensive to the public because of noise, vibration, excessive traffic, unsanitary conditions, noxious odor, smoke or other similar reason

Good News! The May 1st Dalton Planning Board meeting resulted in a decision to send out a letter to the North Country Council deeming the Casella Waste Systems proposal to create a Dalton Landfill a "development of regional impact" , thus giving those towns which may be impacted by said development to have abutter status and the right to receive notice and give testimony at future hearings regarding the proposed development. Hopefully this will help to defeat this inane plan to create a landfill next to a large lake!

We had a very positive meeting at Forest Lake with representatives from Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, and Congresswoman Kuster's offices! We're hoping for visits from all 3 sometime this summer to hear our concerns about this mistake by the lake! We think it a good idea to hold a similar meeting with our state representatives as a development of this size over a span of 25 years could radically alter the North Country for GENERATIONS! We'll keep you posted!

YARD SIGNS ARE HERE! Please let us know if you want one in your yard or waterfront. Big THANK YOU to our generous donors who are helping to share the financial costs of this battle to save our little gem in the North Country! **Note: Pro-Casella thieves have stolen over 75 of our signs, so keep your eyes open and report them to the State Police at (603) 846-3333 Troop F Barracks

wetland complex located below Burns Pond and near the Town’s largest water supply well. There was abundant sign of several species of wildlife, including beaver at this site. Did you know that Forest Lake drains into burns pond?

From Whitefield Natural Resources Inventory

There are three types of groundwater aquifers: Stratified-drift; till; and bedrock. Stratified-drift aquifers are an important source of ground water for commercial, industrial, domestic, and public-water supplies in the State of New Hampshire. Approximately 14% of land surface in the State is underlain with Stratified-drift aquifers.

In and around Whitefield they consist of stratified, sorted, principally coarse-grained sediments (sands and gravels) deposited by glacial melt-water during the time of deglaciation. Approximately 5.9 mi2 (3,766 acres) or just over 17% of the area of Whitefield is Town of Whitefield 17 Natural Resource Inventory for Whitefield, NH underlain with Stratified-drift and Till Aquifers. These are located mostly along the Johns River floodplain and Burns Pond flowage, but also found in other areas of the Town Whitefield also contains 1.26 acres of documented fractured bedrock aquifers; two areas located in the southern end of town at the town line with Bethlehem along Route 116, one on either side of the highway. Wells used by communities and private landowners draw groundwater from aquifers. The stratified-drift aquifers represent the greatest potential groundwater source for the Town of Whitefield. These aquifers represent potential usable water sources for municipal purposes and should be protected to insure their future quality and availability.